The present disclosure relates generally to thermoablation probes and, more particularly, to thermoablation probes for treating brain lesions.
At least some known thermoablation procedures for brain lesions are considered interstitial thermal therapy (ITT) procedures by which brain lesions are heated from within. However, conventional thermoablation probes for performing an ITT procedure on a brain lesion are rigid, shaft-like structures deployable within the lesion only along a straight-line path. While these straight-line probes can be effective at radiating the regions of the lesion that are immediately adjacent the linear path of deployment, these probes are relatively ineffective at treating peripheral regions of the lesion that are offset from the linear path of deployment beyond the range of the probe's radiant energy.
It would be useful, therefore, to provide a more versatile thermoablation probe for effectively treating brain lesions of various shapes and sizes.